Zambia U-17 Women’s national team midfielder Jessica Choolwe Johnson says she is ready to represent the Copper Queens, should an opportunity, arise to join the senior national team.

The Aston Villa forward was part of the Copper Princesses squad that exited the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco at the group stage after losing all three Group D matches.

Zambia suffered a 5-0 defeat to Japan in their opening match before losing 3-2 to Venezuela and 1-0 to France.

Reflecting on the tournament, Johnson said facing strong opposition had provided valuable lessons despite the disappointing results.

“Playing with the hard teams, France, Japan, and Venezuela, was very good. The competition was tough, obviously, so I think next time it will be better,” she said.

Johnson admitted that the team had hoped to progress beyond the group stage but described the experience as a learning curve that could help them improve in future competitions.

She identified focus and concentration as key areas the team needed to work on, particularly during matches when lapses in concentration proved costly.

“I think the main one was focus and concentration, especially on the pitch. We would score and then we would lose concentration, so I think that would be something to focus on next time,” she said.

“I will keep working hard” – Johnson.

The young forward also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Zambia at the global tournament, pledging to continue working hard at the club level as she waits to see what the future holds.

“I’ll keep working hard at my club. Obviously, I’ll wait for the call to see what happens next,”

Johnson said when asked about the possibility of progressing to the Copper Queens.

She described the opportunity to play alongside the national team’s senior players as a great prospect, revealing that she has followed some of the Copper Queens’ matches.

Johnson also disclosed that she watches matches involving Zambia captain Barbra Banda, who plays for United States-based Orlando Pride, describing the forward as an outstanding player.

“I’ll wait for the call to see what happens next. Obviously, it’s a great opportunity to play with the girls [Copper Queens]. I’ve watched some of the games,” she said.

“There’s Barbra Banda there, who’s great, and she doesn’t play in Zambia, so I’ve watched some of her games“

She thanked supporters for their encouragement throughout the U-17 team’s World Cup campaign.

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